Importance of Full Body Cleansing

March 3rd, 2013 by Loretta Lanphier

The importance of full body cleansing by ridding it of toxins and impacted fecal matter cannot be overstated. Full body cleansing is hands down one of the best decisions you can make regarding the support of good health and wellness. There are many things you can do to improve your health, but if you don’t first clean house and make it possible for your body to live and function in a clean environment, you won’t reap the total benefits from otherwise good health choices. Consuming organic and non-GMO food, drinking purified water, and using high-quality supplements that support and nourish are all fine and necessary ideas. But if your digestive tract and other internal organs are all fouled up with the junk that’s been accumulating over time, your body is not in a position to receive the benefits from these proactive steps. Not only does a dirty, clogged up body keep you from receiving the nutrients and healing properties that you seek, but this unsavory condition can actually make you sicker from all the toxins that are collecting in your organs. Remember the old saying: “It’s a good idea, but not a great idea?” That applies here. Taking care of yourself by watching what you do and don’t put into your body is a good idea, but in order for it to be a great idea, you must first prepare your vessel.

One only need enter the term “body cleanse” into an internet search engine to see that there is an enormous amount of information out there regarding this subject. Sorting all all this information can seem a bit overwhelming. So let’s see if we can take a look at some of the basics and come up with a good plan of action.

What is Full Body Cleansing?

Full body cleansing consists of a program addressing detoxification of the digestive tract, the liver, the gallbladder, and the kidneys, as well as ridding the body of parasites and heavy metals. These are the organs of the body that are responsible for absorbing nutrients and eliminating waste products. This “in with the good and out with the bad” process is the backbone of life. Your health rides on consciously supporting your body, especially when we understand that 85-90% of your immune system is located in your digestive tract. If this “engine” is running well, your health will prosper. If it is not, then your system will begin to break down.

There are various products and full body cleansing regimens available and we will cover some of those later in this article. Let me give you a word of caution: There is no “magic bullet” that will accomplish cleansing in one full swoop. In other words, beware of anyone who tries to sell you a product that “does it all in one quick and easy step.” All of your body’s systems are different, and they all need different approaches when it comes to cleansing and detoxification.

Implementing Full Body Cleansing. Where Do I Begin?

An excellent question, and as a wise man once said: “At the beginning.” And the beginning, when it comes to a full body cleanse, is the intestines. If we don’t get it right with the intestinal tract, the value of anything else we do will be greatly diminished.

Our modern diets wreak havoc with our intestinal tract. Instead of the whole, natural foods and pure water that we were created to consume, many of us load up on low-fiber, nutrient-poor, microwaved, unhealthy, processed fat stuff that passes for food these days. Your intestinal tract is simply not up to the task of properly managing a steady diet of this, and the result is that constipation, bloating and gas often becomes the norm. What happens is that instead of absorbing nutrients and quickly passing the waste products out of the body, as the intestinal tract is designed to do, this junk food gets trapped and begins to putrefy. Over time, more and more toxic material accumulates and not only poisons the entire intestinal tract, but also the surrounding organs. Our modern diets devoid of fiber short circuit the body’s normal response, which is 2-3 bowel movements daily. Many people today don’t even have that many in a week!

So, now that we have established the importance of intestinal cleansing, how do we do it? There are several very good ways to cleanse the entire intestinal tract:

One of my favorite types of intestinal cleansers are oxygen-based intestinal cleansers. Oxygen in the colon? Why would I need that? Believe it or not, oxygen is one of the most important substances to good digestion and elimination. Digestion is basically “burning” of food, and this happens much more efficiently when the colon is supplemented with additional oxygen. This leads to regular, consistent bowel movements. But, there are other benefits to oxygenating the intestines, too. The impacted fecal matter that has accumulated is loosened and expelled in an oxygen-rich environment. The new food that enters the colon is more fully digested, and therefore one feels fuller after eating and you will find that you will feel a need to eat less and less often. This helps to stabilize your weight, and does not encourage overeating. All in all, sufficient oxygen in the colon is excellent for your overall health. The product that I personally use myself and with OAW clients is Oxy-Powder.

Psyllium husks are often used and recommended for intestinal cleansing. They tend to swell and become gel-like when exposed to water. This makes for a bulkier and softer stool that has a faster transit time through the colon. However, beware, because psyllium husks can also irritate an already delicate colon. Gastrointestinal tract obstruction has also been regularly cited in studies of patients taking psyllium products. These studies seem to suggest this concern is especially common in individuals who continually suffer from constipation.

Herbal cleanses are a compilation of herbs that are meant to gently and slowly cleanse the intestinal tract of toxins. Beware of herbal products that bill themselves as fast acting. These often include harsh herbs that act as stimulants and laxatives, which may produce diarrhea, cause dehydration, and deplete the body of necessary minerals. Some of these herbal laxatives are even habit-forming, in the sense that the body becomes dependent on them to have normal bowel movements.

There are many quality intestinal cleanses that are composed of bentonite clay. Bentonite is actually volcanic ash. It has been used for centuries as both an internal and external cleanser. The Egyptians even used it to preserve their mummies. As an internal cleanser, it has the ability to remove toxic metals, drugs, and other toxins from the body. However some cautions to be aware of are the following: Aged people and pregnant women shouldn’t take Bentonite Clay or products containing Bentonite Clay. Bentonite Clay should not be taken if you took medication or supplements less than two hours prior. While there are no known harmful side effects in using organic bentonite clay, it’s highly suggested that you talk with your healthcare professional before using bentonite clay.

Colonics is a term that describes an intestinal system cleansing process whereby the colon is washed with water (sometimes with herbal ingredients added) via a tube inserted in the rectum. It is sort of like an enema on steroids. This is a somewhat controversial cleanse for the colon, even in alternative medicine circles. Some folks swear by it, others are cautious and skeptical of its benefits. Colonics are usually very expensive as well as time consuming. As with most healthcare decisions, educate yourself, and make your own informed decision.

Liver and Gallbladder Cleanses

After intestinal cleansing, cleansing of the liver and gallbladder is the next recommended full body cleansing step. How important is it for the liver and gallbladder to be cleansed? Let’s talk about this for a minute. Your liver is the main filter of your body. It can become clogged and sluggish after years of toxins (alcohol, drugs, food preservatives, heavy metals, chemical pollutants, etc.) flow through it. Liver stones can form causing further concerns. Your liver and your gallbladder work closely together. Your liver produces a substance called bile that is used by your body to aid digestion. The bile’s main job is absorbing and assimilating fat as well as serving as the toxic waste dump for excess chemicals, hormones, drugs, heavy metals and other toxins that eventually need to be eliminated by your body. Excess bile is stored in your gallbladder until it is needed for digestion. The gallbladder can also develop stones that decrease its efficiency and impede the flow of bile. The quantity of bile made by your liver is proportional to the quantity of toxins your body can eliminate. By the time allergies, arthritis, and inflammation in joints and muscles develop there is already a 75% bile deficiency. And we can take this one step further – the time cancer or chronic illness is diagnosed, a huge 90% deficit has already occurred. Of course, none of this information about the importance of bile is discussed with those about to have gallbladder surgery.

As you can see, an unhealthy, sluggish liver and gallbladder can lead to all kinds of unwanted complications resulting from the back-up and overflow of toxins into other organs within the body.

The best solution, in my opinion, is to cleanse the liver and gallbladder using a natural remedy that includes organic apple juice, Livatrex, Oxy-Powder, Epsom salts and cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil. I won’t go into all the specifics, (instructions for the liver and gallbladder cleanse) but this is a proven method for cleaning up the liver and gallbladder and ridding them of stones. Basically, the ingredients are ingested in the order listed above, and the person is able to rid himself of most of the stones, and other debris that has accumulated in these organs. Several back-to-back liver and gallbladder cleanses are often needed in order to make sure the liver and gallbladder are clean.

Kidney Cleanses

The kidneys are also critical to your good health. They perform a multitude of important functions including:

Regulating the balance of fluids in the body

Helping to maintain the acid/alkaline balance in the blood

Removing wastes from the body

Helping to stabilize blood pressure

Helping with the production of red blood cells

Your kidneys need a lot of fluids (water is best) in order to function properly. If you are in the habit of drinking 8-10 glasses a day of pure, clean water, chances are you are cleansing your kidneys on a daily basis. However, if you do not drink enough water, as many of us don’t, an organic juice fast is a good recommendation. Another option for cleansing the kidneys is an organic melon fast, usually with organic watermelon. Eating nothing but watermelon (about 3 or 4 good sized melons, preferably organic) for an entire day has helped many people to dissolve and eliminate kidney stones.

Heavy Metal Cleanses

Heavy metals are absorbed into our bodies through the air, the water, and the food you eat. Your body needs some heavy metals in trace concentrations such as cobalt, copper, manganese and zinc, but often these accumulate in concentrations that are abnormally high and can become toxic. Some heavy metals migrate into our bodies that have no useful purpose at all, such as: mercury (often from dental fillings), cadmium, and lead. Some of the above mentioned cleanses for the colon and liver/gallbladder will help to eliminate some heavy metals, but there are products available that specifically seek these out and target them. I highly recommend the products in the Optimum Chemical and Heavy Metal Cleanse.

Harmful Organism Cleansing

One final area of cleansing that should be discussed is that of parasites and harmful organisms. We humans carry many different types of parasites in our bodies. Some of these parasites are needed, but many contribute greatly to overall health concerns. They feed on food and other substances in our bodies, and excrete their waste products inside us. It is estimated that there may be as many as 3000 different types of parasites that can invade our bodies. Many are very small, even single-celled. But there have been cases of tapeworms found in people that were over 30 feet long! Raw or undercooked meat (especially pork) are common sources of parasites. Some parasites will make us sick. Others are silent lurkers that may be robbing us of energy and nutrients, but manifest no obvious symptoms. Either way, we do not want them trespassing in our bodies.

There are herbal products that specifically target these parasites, and stimulate them to die or to leave the body, usually through the bowels. I recommend, as part of a complete body-cleansing regimen, that you use a harmful organism cleanse.

I hope this article helps you understand the crucial importance of cleansing the body, as well as some of the options available. Remember that it all begins with a thorough intestinal cleanse which lays the foundation for successful cleansing in other parts of the body. Health most definitely begins in your digestive tract!

Loretta Lanphier is a Naturopathic Practitioner (Traditional), Certified Clinical Nutritionist, Holistic Health Practitioner and Certified Clinical Herbalist as well as the CEO / Founder of Oasis Advanced Wellness in The Woodlands TX. She has studied and performed extensive research in health science, natural hormone balancing, anti-aging techniques, nutrition, natural medicine, weight loss, herbal remedies, non-toxic cancer support and is actively involved in researching new natural health protocols and products. A 14 year stage 3 colon cancer survivor, Loretta is able to relate to both-sides-of-the-health-coin as patient and practitioner when it comes to health and wellness. “My passion is counseling others about what it takes to keep the whole body healthy using natural and non-toxic methods.” Read Loretta’s health testimony Cancer: The Path to Healing. Loretta is Contributor and Editor of the worldwide E-newsletter Advanced Health & Wellness.

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